Ethiopia has officially entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, with the Ethiopian Football Federation saying its government-backed bid demonstrates the country’s readiness to stage the continent’s premier football event.
The nation previously hosted Afcon in 1962, 1968 and 1976, but its facilities lag behind many African peers. Last season, only one Ethiopian stadium met Confederation of African Football (Caf) standards. A new international stadium and sports complex in Addis Ababa is nearing inauguration and could serve as a key venue, yet doubts remain over whether Ethiopia can provide enough compliant stadiums across multiple cities for a 24-team tournament. Several regional arenas are believed not to meet Fifa or Caf requirements for infrastructure, amenities and match-day operations.
Ethiopia played its 2026 World Cup home qualifiers at neutral sites in Morocco and Rwanda, though it did host fixtures in Dire Dawa earlier this year.
Caf president Patrice Motsepe recently noted that “exciting bids” had arrived for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments, with Afcon set to shift to a four-year cycle after 2028. Earlier this year, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe launched a joint Southern African bid for 2028. Despite speculation that Morocco—hosts in 2025—might step in again two years later, the country is not bidding and is prioritizing preparations to co-host the 2030 World Cup. Meanwhile, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have signaled interest in jointly hosting in 2032.
The 2027 finals are slated for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July, marking Afcon’s return to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia staged it in 1976.
Ethiopia lifted the trophy on home soil in 1962, but the Walia Ibex—ranked 143rd globally and 43rd in Africa—have qualified only three times since they last hosted. Their most recent appearance was in 2021, when they finished bottom of a group with Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde. They beat Sao Tome and Principe in preliminary qualifying for next year’s tournament and were drawn in Group J with Senegal, Mozambique and Sudan.